Marn
Marn is a region in central Farthrone, its western coast running along the Amaran Sea, with its eastern border touching that of the Lattice of the former Orjeri Union. Its southern borders stretch along the locally named Long River, breaking along the newly annex territories of the Drenden Protectorate. History Founding Marn was founded aeons ago by peoples long forgotten, with the history of the country kept alive only in the fragments of song and in obscure references in the records held in the city of Marstep. It is not known, for instance, whether the spirit Mar, who serves as protector for both the capital city and country, came to be the patron spirit of the state at its founding or some time long after. Shardfall For more on this event, see here. During Shardfall, Marn was under attack by one of its former lords who saw the approaching star as an omen of his ascension in the city. During this invasion the boy king who sat upon the throne of Marstep fled the city, or was taken against his will, leaving the throne empty. The attack upon the city failed and the Empty Throne of Marstep has remained so ever since leaving the country ruled by the Back Council. Divine Era The Divine Era was marked by the arrival of exarchs to Tolas, the Silence of the Gods, as well as news of the arrival of the Dragon Queen into the material realm. During this time Marn was building up its forces to combat the perceived threat from the Drenden Protectorate, though as the age turned to greater matters it was forced to deal with internal divisions as well as rising cults within, rather than external threats. The Revelation of Mar For more on this event, see here. During the starting years of the Divine Era, Marn became host to two of the exarchs of Sune who battled one another for control of the city. During the battle the spirit Mar revealed himself as a powerful wind elemental who ended the conflict by hurling the two exarchs across the sky. During the Silence of the Gods, the worship of Mar increased across the country, with the being manifesting openly in various forms. As divine power seemed to leave the world, the power of Mar remained, indeed as the power of the Primordials grew so did the guardian spirit. War in the Silence For more on this event, see here. Marn was invaded by a number of tribes of lizardfolk during the War in the Silence, the scaly warriors having been forced to the surface by an encroaching band of monsters that seemed to be driven upward as well. The lizardfolk were pushed towards Long river where they have become a problem for the city of Mangmor, whilst the various monsters were seperated and scattered across the Open Steppe so they could be hunted down one by one. Settlement Marstep For more on this location, see here. The largest city in the region is its capital Marstep which is the centre connecting all other settlement. Its many roads can suddenly end as the routes they follow no longer lead to the places they once did, as Marstep has outlasted most of the cities it once traded with. Mangmor For more information on this location, see here. The largest settlement along the southern border of Marn along the Long River is Mangmor which is built at the river's mouth. The Open Steppe For more information on this location, see here. In the east nomadic peoples live upon the open steppe, living in homes they can quickly construct and pack up as they follow herds of animals across the plains. Geography Annual Rains Marn is seen by many to be a desolate place, with winds that bring rains from the sea annually breaking the usually quite dry whether, though it is seldom uncomfortably hot in the region. Tributaries In the south east the tributaries that feed the eastern river that begin their route in the Jarlara mountains provide land for rice paddies where sparse settlements live on the edges of valleys and steep hills. The Scorned Lands The city of Marstep is surround by the Scorned Lands, once fertile fields now filled with mass graves, shallow tombs and dotted with towers and fortresses belonging to long dead invaders. This area is believed to be filled with lost and powerful artefacts for would-be adventurers to plunder, but the living dead that guard such treasures often deter the more cautious of adventurers. The Dead Road To the north lies the Dead Road, a winding path that begins in Marstep, passes through the Scorned Lands heading into the lands beyond. Its name comes from the fact that it is a dead end, and that as you travel its length the road's quality begins to degrade eventually seeming to disappear. The Open Steppe The eastern quarter of Marn is grassland where semi-nomadic groups travel, herding various great beasts across the plains or hunting for meat and furs to trade in the city. These groups are often famed for their horsemanship and ability to break creatures considered too wild or dangerous to use as mounts. Category:Location Category:Farthrone Category:Marn